Senate Leadership “Optimistic” of Shutdown End Amid Strategy Shift

Republicans in the Senate are changing tactics in a bid to end the government shutdown, which at 35 days, ties for the longest in history and will surpass the record at the dawn of Wednesday. Also complicating matters is the governor elections Tuesday in New Jersey and Virginia, which could give a political boost to either side, depending on the outcome.

Roll Call reports that Republican leadership is preparing to ditch the House-passed continuing resolution that has been rejected in the Senate more than a dozen times, in favor of a new bill that would give lawmakers more time to complete full year FY 2026 appropriations. 

“The idea that we could get any appropriations bills done … by November the 21st now … that date’s lost,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD). “The objective here is to try and get something that we could send back to the House that would open up the government.” Senator Thune also indicated that he is “optimistic” the Senate will move to end the shutdown this week. 

At issue for a longer funding bill however is the date. Some Republicans like Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rick Scott (R-FL), signaled support for a continuing resolution that would fund the government at current levels into January, with Senator Scott noting that he wants to avoid a “Christmas omnibus.” But other Senate Republicans want a bill that ends in December to put more pressure on lawmakers to get a full-year funding bill done. 

Senate Democrats meanwhile are also said to be divided on whether to accept such a deal. The Hill reports that while moderates are urging Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to accept a deal, while others warn that “reopening the government without a real concession from President Trump on extending the expiring health insurance premium subsidies — or at least a stronger gesture of good faith from the president — would be a big mistake.”

House Position

Regardless, a new funding bill would mean that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) would have to call the House back in session. The House is on recess indefinitely, with Speaker Mike Johnson canceling votes for the seventh straight week. 

The possibility of a new funding bill was welcome news to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), with Rep. Jeffries calling it “a small step in the right direction, as it relates to actually having bipartisan conversations to enact an enlightened spending bill that actually makes life better for the American people and doesn’t continue to gut the health care of everyday Americans.”

Speaker Johnson meanwhile said he’s focusing on wooing moderates. 

“We are going above the heads of the so-called leadership and we are appealing to the consciences of a handful of people in the Senate who want to do the right things and just stop the pain,” said Speaker Johnson in his weekly news conference. 

Meanwhile, President Trump repeated his call for Republicans in the Senate to end the filibuster. Senate Republicans are rejecting that call.